Desert Sage High School, a tuition-free, public Waldorf-inspired school in Tucson AZ has taken numerous steps to reduce cell tower, wireless and cell phone radiation exposure to students and staff. They currently are shielding the school from the wireless radio-frequency (RF) radiation emissions from nearby cell tower.
Image: Safe Tech Tucson volunteers attaching metal mesh screening to the external wall of a school room during the demonstration cell tower radiation shielding last November.
Image: The cell tower
More and more schools are becoming aware of the impacts on students and teachers of day-long exposures to high levels of Radio Frequency (RF) radiation from classroom wi-fi routers, computers, tablets, and many personal cell phones. In addition to the accumulated research on RF related health risks include cancer, oxidative stress, reproductive and neurological harm, there are neuropsychiatric effects that impede student learning, such as behavioral and memory problems, ADD symptoms, anxiety and depression.
One of the first steps Desert Sage took to reduce RF radiation exposure was to remove a slew of Wi-fi boosters mounted to ceilings throughout the building. The school also has a responsible cell phone policy: students leave their phones in lockers during academic work time and other school activities. Thus, the exposure from cell phone radiation in classrooms is minimized.
Image: Cell phone lockers at Desert Sage High School
However, an RF radiation assessment by Building Biology certified Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist (EMRS) Lisa Smith found that the levels of wireless RF radiation coming into the school from a nearby T-Mobile cell tower, located half a block away, were much higher in cell tower-facing classrooms.
The cell tower had recently been “upgraded to 5G”. After the upgrade, her measurements show the levels of wireless microwave radiation had doubled and far exceeded science-based safety guidelines established by experts to protect against non-thermal biological impacts and long term health risks.
Lisa Smith is now working with the local group Safe Tech Tucson to shield the classrooms from the cell tower radiation by covering the exterior walls with aluminum metal mesh screening material. In November, volunteers conducted a demonstration shielding for a Math classroom that reduced RF radiation by 95 %, greatly lowering students’ cell tower radiation exposure while learning at school.
Safe Tech Tucson is now raising money for the remaining shielding materials and hopes to complete the project n March. So far, they have raised $1,230 of the $1,850 needed. Donations to this effort, no matter how small, are greatly appreciated!
Here is a link to the GoFund Me for the project.
Donations can also be made by check or through Zelle (contact safetechtucson@gmail.com).
Lisa Smith also published an article on the Building Biology Institute website with details on the project
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“We applaud actions taken to protect students, teachers and staff,” stated Theodora Scarato, Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust. She pointed to the New Hampshire State Commission on 5G and Santa Clara Medical Association recommendations on restricting cell towers near schools. She also highlighted that FCC limits do not protect against long term health effects nor do they consider children’s unique vulnerability. Scarato pointed to the Ecolog Institute Report (2000) commissioned by T-Mobile that recommended an exposure limit 1000 times lower than the FCC’s current power density limit.
The Los Angeles California School District Office of Health and Safety developed a “cautionary level” for radiofrequency radiation 10,000 times lower than FCC regulations because, “it is believed that a more conservative level is necessary to protect children, who represent a potentially vulnerable and sensitive population.”
The Los Angeles Unified School District has 3 resolutions opposing cell towers on school property. Several school boards have passed resolutions or taken actions to restrict cell towers at schools including the Temecula Valley Unified (CA), Palo Alto Unified (CA), and West Linn-Wilsonville Oregon.
The scientific research indicating serious safety issues has significantly increased. A literature review on people living near cell towers entitled “Evidence for a health risk by RF on humans living around mobile phone base stations: From radiofrequency sickness to cancer” by Balmori (2022) found associations between exposure and radiofrequency sickness, cancer and changes in biochemical parameters.
